Old friend(?) (Batman one-shot)

Old friend(?)

After a harrowing and surprisingly tough battle with The Riddler, The Batman sat on the rooftop of building nearby the police station, resting, interrupted quickly by a flash of orange hellfire from an explosion a few blocks down, he immediately sprung to his feet and began the rooftop run over. The building that went up in smoke was seemingly completely abandoned, and so The Batman made his way to the roof of a building nearby, it took him only a moment to realize he wasn't alone, Across the roof stood a plain looking man in a red T-shirt and blue jeans, his face seemed so very familiar,

"Hey Bruce."

He said flatly, The Batman stood frozen for a moment and touched a hand to his mask, as if to make sure it was still there. "Oh don't look surprised!" He stepped closer and he came more clearly into view from the moonlight, in his left hand he held a small device with a black button sticking out from the top, The Batman's eyes darted behind his mask from the remains of the building to the left and back to the man. "It only takes half a brain to realize you're 1 of the 3 or 4 men in Gotham who have the financial resources to do what you do," he pointed at The Batman, "Not to mention half your face is hanging out all the time, I'm frankly surprised the comparison isn't on a billboard already, don't worry Bruce, I won't tell."

He kicked a milk crate across the roof to him, "Have a seat," he sat on one himself , "If you even try to leave, I'll blow this whole block sky high." And so he sat down across from the man, and watched him silently, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar, eventually The Batman was the first to break the silence, "Do I know you?" His voice dripping from this throat smooth like butter, the man laughed hard, his laughs more like laborious wheezing. "DO YOU KNOW ME???" He clapped a hand to his chest, "NORMAN!" The Bat's face dropped, the man looked hurt. "You forgot about me.." he spoke to the ground, "No-" The Batman started to respond but was cut off, "SHUT UP! DON'T SWEET TALK ME LIKE YOU DO THE MEDIA BRUCE! YOU! You- you were my best friend. My ONLY friend! Everyone else saw me as Fordeat Jr! The air the Fordeat fortune!" He stood up and kicked the milk crate he stood on off the roof, "Son of Oscar Fordeat! The monster! But you! You didn't see me that way.."

He ran his hand Through his hair, "You just saw me as Norman. I loved you Bruce, so answer me a question, why'd you stop calling? Why'd you stop dropping by?? Why'd I stop mattering to you??? And don't give me something like, i HaVe ReSpOnSiBiLiTiEs! Because this!" He gestured at The Bat, "Isn't your responsibility! YOU'RE PLAYING DRESS UP!" Batman didn't respond, he just stared with his signature blank face, "I'm going down tonight. And you're going down with me." The Batman started to rise, "SIT DOWN!" Norman hovered his thumb over the detonator, The bat listened, "I have nothing to lose Bruce. And neither do you. Our money is a poison. And this, that you do. It's like trying to treat that poison by pouring a gallon more into your wine. Ever hear of The King of Pontus?"

Norman sat down on the ground and stared into the white blank eyes of The Bat's mask, his voice softened, "Will you take it off? I'd love to see your eyes again." He sat silently and looked hard at Norman, "No, I can't do that." Norman cradled his knees the his chest and crossed his arms across his legs as he looked at his shoes, after a moment of silence he stared up again quietly, "Do you remember when we were 14? When we went to the fair?" Bruce crackled his knuckles, an impulsive habit he hadn't done in a very long time, and he spoke, "I won you that stuffed panda." Norman laughed under his breath, "To make me feel better after I got sick on the whirly ride.." Bruce smiled, a rare thing these days, "You always had incredible aim." Norman said as he scratched his forehead.

"I.. I just.." Norman began to cry, "I just miss you so much..." He dropped the detonator, and as it hit the concrete, with reflexes faster than Norman could match a baterang hit it and it flew backwards many feet. Norman didn't bother to go after it, he just stayed where he sat, Bruce stood up, he pulled his fingers under the corners of his mask and peeled it off, his black hair sat flat and sweaty against his head, he kneeled before Norman and wrapped his arms around him, and the two of them stayed in that embrace for a long while.